Local News – Wednesday, November 9th, 2022
The Salem Board of Aldermen met Tuesday evening at the Salem Community Center@the Armory. At the meeting, the board approved paying the invoice from the Dent County Extension for $5,800 to support 4-H and youth programs for the 2023 year. The board approved Mayor Greg Parker’s committee appointments of Bernie Sirois and David Weiss for the Finance Committee and Kristi Bermudez for the Park and Recreation Board. After the consent agenda was approved, the Board approved Bill #$3529 to accept the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission Amendment #3 to the state block grant agreement that allowed the city to be reimbursed an additional $3,038.82 for work on the taxi-lanes at the Salem Airport. The board tabled Resolutions #37-2022 and 38-2022 regarding change orders on the “Welcome Home” Grant Program due to Alderman Kyle Williams not being in attendance and Alderwoman Kala Sisco abstained from voting as she works at Riverways Federal Credit Union. The board approved Resolution 39-2022 to continue to take samples for the purpose of sewer shed disease trend monitoring until June 27, 2023 and being reimbursed $100 per sample. This mayor will sign this agreement between the city and the Department of Health and Senior Services. The board also approved Resolution 40-2022 that allows the mayor to sign an application with the Missouri Department of Transportation to construct six T-hangers at the Salem Airport. Temporary City Administrator Sally Burbridge talked about the airport and representatives from Lochner Engineering were in attendance to explain the work to be done on the hangers. Also discussed from Mayor Greg Parker was a number of events saluting Veteran’s Day including events from SBU, the Salem High School and Town Screen. Public Works Director Mark Nash said the city is waiting on road salt but the shed and the new roof are ready. Work crews are working on equipment getting it ready for winter while other crews are repairing potholes. Nash said the fuel tank cleaning at the airport is expected to be done today and once completed, the city can look to get fuel and then the new card reader can be installed. Salem Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois said signups for the Youth Basketball and Cheerleading program continue to November 16th and 70 children have already signed up. The “Light Up The Park” event will be held again this year at the Salem City Park and if a group, business or organization would like to have a display, contact Dubois at salemparks@salemmo.com. She also said the bathrooms at Al Brown and the Salem City Park will be closing for the season Thursday afternoon and will remain closed until spring. Aldermen Shawn Bolerjack mentioned the city offices would be closed on Friday for Veteran’s Day. The board then went into closed session.
A General Election was held Tuesday nationally to determine a number of state and national offices as well as number of county offices. In Dent County, 5,083 ballots were cast which comes to 52.89% of registered voters cast their ballot. There were no locally contested races for Dent County as all races were decided in the Primary Election in August. Re-elected to their offices were Darrell Skiles as Dent County Presiding Commissioner, Angie Curley as Dent County Clerk, Cindy Edwards Ard as the Dent County Recorder of Deeds, Denita Williams as the Dent County Treasurer, Andrew M. Curley as the Dent County Prosecuting Attorney and Shannon VanKirk as the Dent County Collector. Also elected for the first time was Kristi (Morton) Craig as the Dent County Circuit Clerk taking over for Becky Swiney who retired. There were some races classified as state offices that were also uncontested and they were Ron Copeland as the State Representative for the 120th District and Associate Circuit Judge Nathan T. Kelsaw.
All results are unofficial. * Denotes winner
US Representative District 8
(All precincts reported)
Jason Smith* (Rep) 186,259 votes
Randi McCallian (Dem) 53,661 votes
Jim Higgins (Lib) 5,175 votes
State Senator District 16
(All precincts reported)
Justin Dan Brown* (Rep) 39,047 votes
Tara Anura (Dem) 9,341 votes